Shen Fei

If Chen Linjian was reluctant to give up on treasures and continued to explore the underground palace, then their situation would become very dangerous.

Fortunately, Chen Linjian was a decisive person.

When they returned to the stone fort, Huyan Lanruo's tears flowed non-stop when she saw Nie Li.

"Nie Li, you're back. That's great!" Huyan Lanruo said as she threw herself towards Nie Li, tightly hugging him. That rich chest of hers was tightly attached to Nie Li's.

"Thanks for sacrificing yourself to save me! Otherwise, I would probably have ended up in the stomach of that Giant Blue Armed Ape!" Huyan Lanruo, her face flushed red, was lovingly looking at Nie Li.

"I'm about to be strangled to death by you! Let go of me!"

Nie Li face palmed. Huyan Lanruo was showering her love at the wrong party. The reason why he sacrificed himself to block that Giant Blue Armed Ape was because he wanted to let Ye Ziyun get to safety, not her!

Seeing Nie Li's distressed look, Ye Ziyun couldn't help laughing. Nie Li didn't even care about a beauty like Huyan Lanruo throwing herself to him. His brain was seriously jammed. However, seeing Huyan Lanruo closely clinging onto Nie Li, Ye Ziyun's heart slightly felt sour, and she lightly snorted.

"It's the Dark Guild!" Chen Linjian's men shockingly said, sucking in a cold lump of air.

Chen Linjian looked towards the outside of the stone fort and saw several black robed people appearing in their sight. With his face colour slightly changed, he lowered his voice and said, "This way!"

Chen Linjian brought the group into the dense forest behind the stone fort.

"Be careful! Do not leave any trace!"

Under the threat of the Dark Guild, the group frantically ran, skimming quickly. They all knew that the consequences would be dire if they were caught by the Dark Guild.

Nie Li glanced behind them, pondering in his heart. Although it was just a face to face meeting, Nie Li had already remembered the aura of the group's leader. The leader had also seen his face. Therefore, even if he returned to Glory City, he still had to be very careful. Otherwise, if he was recognised, he wouldd be targeted.

Other than the Sacred Family, there was also the Dark Guild constantly threatening Glory City. There was a sense of urgency building up within Nie Li's heart. He had to enhance his strength as fast as possible. Otherwise, when the danger arrived, he wouldn't even have the strength to protect himself.

After obtaining the Shadow Devil Spiritual Lamp, he had to quickly enhance his cultivation to the Silver rank. After integrating with the Shadow Devil, he would have the capabilities to protect himself.

Silver rank may be extremely difficult to reach for ordinary people, but for Nie Li, it was not that difficult.

The people from the Dark Guild did not manage to catch up to Nie Li and company before they reached Glory City. Only then did everyone feel relieved.

The news of Chen Linjian's group returning was quickly spread across Glory City. What was even more shocking was Chen Linjian and his group's harvest. There were lots of treasures that were very shocking. A grand auction was held and many of Chen Linjian's harvests were sold at high prices.

The entire Glory City was flared up with enthousiasm. Many people began to travel to the Ancient Orchid City Ruins with hopes of getting some harvest of their own.

The storm did not have any relation to Nie Li. He had gotten the Shadow Devil Spiritual Lamp that he coveted, and also, unexpectedly, had gained a remnant page of the Temporal Demon Spirit Book. The harvest he had made on this trip was far beyond his expectations.

At the same time, there was other piece of news which left Nie Li in deep thought. He had heard that before Chen Linjian and bunch had returned to Glory City, Shen Yue had already returned. Furthermore, there hadn't been anyone returning with Shen Yue.

This was a little bit too strange!

With Shen Yue's strength alone, how was it possible for him to pass through all these dangerous areas and return to Glory City?

Thinking back to how they had encountered those people from the Dark Guild in the Ancient Orchid City Ruins, Nie Li suddenly thought of a possibility. Perhaps, there was some secret association between the Sacred Family and the Dark Guild. He should have thought of this earlier on.

The various signs about the Sacred Family in the previous life and their betrayal towards Glory City all showed that they had long since forsaken their responsibility as guardians of Glory City. If that was so, then there were high chances of their colluding with the Dark Guild.

In his previous life, Nie Li had not had much knowledge about the Dark Guild. It was said that the Dark Guild had built a base within the St. Ancestral Mountains, in an extremely secretive and safe location.

Perhaps when the Sacred Family betrayed Glory City in his previous life, they had decided to go over to the Dark Guild. Otherwise, where else could they have gone to?

Damn it! How could he only realise this now?!

Nie Li tightly clenched his fists, exposing the veins on his arms. The day Glory City had fallen, he had seen his family die by the claws of the demon beasts with his own eyes. Afterwards, he had been with the survivors from Glory City. They had entered the Endless Desert where he had seen Ye Ziyun die before him and cause him to drift around the Divine Continent like a nomad.

A light flashed across Nie Li's eyes. Whether it was the Sacred Family or the Dark Guild, they both had to be destroyed!

--- Holy Orchid Institute, Library ---

After Nie Li returned, he once again concentrated on training together with Du Ze, Lu Piao, and the others.

After returning, Nie Li's cultivation was growing leaps and bounds daily. That remnant page of the Temporal Demon Spirit Book continuously played its part, operating Nie Li's soul realm for him.

With the operation of his soul realm, his soul force slowly grew.

Three days later, with the help of many Purple Haze Grasses and elixirs, Nie Li's cultivation finally reached 2-star Bronze rank.

If they could reach 3-star Bronze rank before the exams in two months time, exposing it during the exams, Nie Li and bunch would be able to gain high-level attention from the institute, and be treated as geniuses to nurture. No matter if it was the principal of the Holy Orchid Institute or the higher levels of Glory City, everyone would pay much attention towards geniuses. Once Nie Li had been identified as a genius, the Sacred Family would not be able to touch him easily.

There was still plenty of time until the test in two months. Nie Li had more than enough time.

Aside from Nie Li, Du Ze, Lu Piao and the other's cultivations had also increased leaps and bounds.

At this moment, Shen Yue was no longer within Nie Li's eyes. As time passed, Shen Yue would realise that the distance between him and Nie Li would grow larger and larger, and finally, would push Nie Li out of his reach.

At this moment, a message was spreading wildly across the institute.

"Did you know? Miss Huyan Lanruo has been looking for Nie Li daily in the Fighter Apprentice Class!"

"Have you heard? Miss Huyan Lanruo publicly announced that she wants to chase Nie Li, and ended up having conflicts with Miss Xiao Ning'er."

"Guess what? Miss Huyan Lanruo and Miss Xiao Ning'er fought over a boy! And I heard that the boy is student from the Fighter Apprentice Class!"

The news became more and more outrageous, and no one knew if it was even true.

Gossip was crazily spread across the whole institute. After all, matters about two girls fighting over one guy was quite rare. Furthermore, the key was that it was Huyan Lanruo and Xiao Ning'er. Both of them were beauties rarely found in the Holy Orchid Institute. Such talented ladies. If the one they were after was a genius, then it would be fine. However, the one that the both of them were after turned out to be a Fighter Apprentice Class student. This caused everyone to be astonished.

Recently, Nie Li had been in the limelight. First, he had discredited the Sacred Family. Next he had provoked his teacher. Thereafter, news about the Sacred Family wanting to kill him had come out, and now, two beauties were after him. This simply caused Nie Li to become well-known throughout the whole academy.

Huyan Lanruo visited the library in Holy Orchid Institute a couple of times and was dodged by Nie Li. It was said that afterwards, everyday when students were dismissed, Huyan Lanruo would be guarding the academy gate, waiting for Nie Li.

"Nie Li, if the school's law enforcing team finds out that you have been climbing out the wall, the consequences won't be good!" Lu Piao said, laughing as he looked at Nie Li.

Nie Li had a bitter look and said, "If I were to leave by the gate, I will run into that crazy woman. Too troublesome!"

"Nie Li, honestly tell us, how did you mess with that Miss Huyan Lanruo?" Lu Piao asked, simply because he was jealous, envious, and hated Nie Li. Being pursued by a beauty like Huyan Lanruo, Nie Li was still acting so indifferently, which caused Lu Piao to be speechless. If it had been Lu Piao, there would be no need to be pursued by Huyan Lanruo, he would send himself to her door. Not to mention Huyan Lanruo's temptation, just touching that heavy chest of hers alone would be exciting. If Nie Li did not tell them about him liking Ye Ziyun, they would no doubt think that Nie Li prefered men.

"I didn't even mess with her... This woman is simply ridiculous!" Nie Li said with a bitter smile.

"No choice then. It seems that we have to climb out the wall with you from today onwards," Du Ze laughed as he shrugged his shoulders. He did not bother with all this gossip, he only wanted to focus on training, and change his family's fate. And Nie Li had given him the chance to do so, therefore, he would serve Nie Li with his life.

At this moment, a few people with badges a good distance away shouted, "Hey, which class do you belong to? What are you doing here? Hold up!"

Nie Li and bunch gave a glance towards each other. *shu shu shu* Six figure flew over the walls of Holy Orchid Institute and bolted away.

--- Holy Orchid Institute, Talented Genius Class ---

A few students were currently gathered together.

"Haha! Shen Fei, I heard that your fiancée fought with Huyan Lanruo over a guy. Is that true?" ridiculed a valiant, tall sixteen-seventeen year old teenager as he walked over and began to laugh.

The Holy Orchid Institute's Genius Class was divided into several groups, and the relationship between the groups was not very harmonious. This guy was called Ye Hong, a family cousin of Ye Ziyun's. He was still rather prestigious in the Genius class, with a group of people following him. Usually, he was enemies with Shen Fei.

Hearing Ye Hong's words, Shen Fei tightly clenched his fist, almost squeezing the blood out of his palm. Although it hadn't been confirmed for its authenticity, this crazy gossip within the Holy Orchid Institute made Shen Fei the most humiliated one!

"I heard from my sister that that girl doesn't like you. In that case, why force them? Just let her free, so that you avoid becoming a cuckold one day!" Ye Hong laughed. He was a family cousin of Ye Ziyun's, therefore, he had heard a thing or two about Xiao Ning'er's issue. Under Ye Ziyun's influence, he had been opposing Shen Fei in the class whenever he could.

Although Shen Fei was depressed, he wondered why Ye Hong pestered him all the time. However, he didn't have a choice. Ye Hong's identity was firmly pressingdown on him. Therefore, even with how furious he was, he still avoided direct confrontation with Ye Hong.

However, regarding this matter, Shen Fei could not endure it any longer. He snorted, "No one can snatch my woman. If I can't get it, then others can dream on having it!"